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GQnited Braper 


FOR 
MIss1ons ABROAD 


During the Week 
April 5th-rath 
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| in 2021 with funding from 
Columbia University Libraries 


https://archive.org/details/weekofprayerformOOQunse 


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A Week of Pravper for 


fltsstons Abroad 
ae 5th to 12th, 1903 


iC ‘ Officers and Members of the Foreign 
u| Missions Boards in the United States 
<a and Canada, meeting in New York 
City | in January, 1903, decided toask all Christian 
people in the United States and Canada to join in 
a week of special prayer for the non-Christian 
world, for the men and women who are giving 
their lives to missionary work, and for the wider 
recognition by Christians everywhere of the duty 
and privilege of sharing more fully in the great task 
of world evangelization, 

The period selected for this year, April 5th to 
12th, both inclusive, is that which commemorates 
the Redeeming Death and Glorious Resurrection 
of Our Lord, Jesus Christ, 

It will be apparent to everyone how appropriate 
it is to use these days for offering prayers and gifts, 
that the message of love revealed in the Incarnation 
of Our Lord, and the message of Life revealed in 
His Resurrection, may be fully proclaimed through- 
out the world for which He died. 

The following suggestions for the observance of 
the week are respectfully offered to ministers and 
people; it being understood that it is the principle, 


3 





rather than the particular method which it is im- 
portant to emphasize, and that the latter should be 
modified to meet local conditions, as may be 
thought best. 


I. BY CONGREGATIONS 

In congregations having a daily service during the 
appointed week, it is suggested that special prayer 
for missions be offered as a part of the service; and 
that wherever practicable mention be made each 
day in sermons, addresses and intercessions of one 
or more of the topics included in the Common 
Daily Prayer and the Prayer Cycle suggested on 
pages 5,6, €& 7 of this leaflet. 

In congregations having occasional services dur- 
ing the appointed week this plan may be modified 
as the conditions require. 


II. BY INDIVIDUALS 

It is hoped that all persons receiving a copy of 
this leaflet will share in this week of common 
prayer for the extension of Christ’s Kingdom: 

(1) By following in connection with their 
daily private devotions the cycle on pages 6 & 7, or 
any adaptation of it that may seem desirable; 

(2) By endeavoring to pause for a moment at 
noon each day of the week to offer prayer for 
missions and missionaries throughout the world. 


TI]. PARLOR MEETINGS 
By joining with a few friends, in the home of one 
of them, on one or more evenings of the week for 
united prayer for missions and missionaries. 


4 


Common Daily Braver 
1H 


For a realization of the need of the non-Christian 
world, its helplessness, its materialism, lust, and 
superstition; the inadequacy of its religions ; its 
spiritual hopelessness. 


For political righteousness and stability; for re- 
ligious liberty and peace. 


For missionaries, that they may be preserved in 
body and spirit, and may have greater access to the 


hearts of the people. 


Q For the establishment of native churches and 
Christian homes, and for the elevation of woman. 


For more consecration and sacrifice ; for a full sur- 
render to the Lordship of Christ; for a truer concep- 
tion of the Mission of the Church. 


For the evangelization of the whole world and the 
establishment of the Kingdom of Christ. 


iH 


««That they might know Thee, the only 
true God, and Jesus Christ whom 
Thou hast sent.”’ 


Braver Cycle 


Ms 


. The Empires of Eastern Asia, Japan, China, 
Korea, Thibet and Siam. For friendship and 
the decay of distrust; for continued progress; for 
openness of mind and heart on the part of Con- 
fucianist, Buddbist and Hindu toward the Gospel. 


. Central and Western Asia, India, Afghanistan, 
Persia, Turkey, Arabia. For religious liberty; 
for the elevation of woman; for freedom from 
famine; for the conversion of Mohammedans. 


. The Continent of Africa. For the extinction of 
the slave trade and the liquor trafic ; for peace; 
for the evangelization of the Soudan, and all 
unreached tribes. 


. The Countries at our doors, Mexico and Cen- 
tral and South America. For the spread of 
purity of doctrine and of life; for the unreached 
Indians; for political righteousness and stability. 


5. The Islands of the Sea,the Philippines, Hawaii, 


Cuba, Porto Rico, the South Seas, Madagas- 
car. For the purification of American influ- 
ence from all vice and irreligion, for confidence 


Prayer Cycle 
iH 
and service; for justice and peace ; for the end 


of slavery and impurity, and the conquest of 
Christianity. 


6. The Evangelization of the World. For mission- 


7° 


aries; for the Native Churches; for all in- 
quirers and catechumens ; for greater faith in 
God, for the establishment everywhere of 
Christian homes and the Christian Church, 
and the preaching of the Gospel to every 


creature. 


The Church at Home. For ministers and peo- 
ple; for forgiveness for lethargy and indiffer- 


ENCE. 


8. The Church at Home. For more prayer and 


more faith in God’s desire to hear and answer 
prayer; for more love and obedience. 


ri 


«<Pray ye the Lord of the harvest to send 
forth laborers.’”’ 
<<Say, Thy kingdom come.’’ 


NASMUCH as this leaflet isto be used 
by the Christians of many communions 
in our land, and for the help of such as 

may desire it, the following prayers are sug- 
gested : 


od 


<4] GOD, who hast made of one blood all 
\| nations of men for to dwell on the face 
t| of the whole earth, and didst send thy 
AA blessed Son to preach peace to them 
that are far off and to them that are nigh; Grant 
that all men everywhere may seek after thee and 
find thee. Bring the nations into thy fold, and 
add the heathen to thine inheritance. And we 
pray thee shortly to accomplish the number of 
thine elect, and to hasten thy kingdom; through 
the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 








a 








ez ATHER of mercies, forgive, we pray 
thee, our unbelief, and so enlarge our 
)| hearts and enkindle our zeal that we 
fe 23) may fervently desire the salvation of 
alls men, man may with ready diligence labor in the 
extension of thy kingdom ; for his sake who gave 
himself for the life of the world, thy Son our 
Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. 


8 









SSeS LMIGHTY and everlasting God, who 
/ 4| dost govern all things in heaven and 
earth, we commend to thy fatherly care 
===) all whom thou hast called to take part 
in the missionary work of thy Church. Watch 
over them, we beseech thee, for good; defend 
them from all dangers both of body and soul, from 
the pestilence that walketh in darkness and the 
sickness that destroyeth at the noonday ; give thine 
Angels charge concerning them, and let thy Holy 
Spirit rule in their hearts, and prosper all their 
work to the glory of thy Holy Name; through 
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 


"H 


GOD, the Father of our Lord Jesus 
Christ, our only Saviour, the Prince of 
| Peace ; Give us grace seriously to lay 
===) to heart the great dangers we are in by 
our aus divisions. ‘Take away all hatred and 
prejudice, and whatsoever else may hinder us from 
godly union and concord : that as there is but one 
Body and one Spirit, and one hope of our calling, 
one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism, one God and 
Father of us all, so we may henceforth be all of 
one heart and of one soul, united in one holy bond 
of truth and peace, of faith and charity, and may 
with one mind and one mouth glorify thee ; through 
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen, 


9 





RAYER is essentially active and expansive. It 

we pray for the attainment of an object, we shall 
work for it also. If we learn to say, not with the 
lips only, but with the heart and the understand- 
ing, ‘‘Thy Kingdom come:’’ if we intensify our 
prayers by due reflection on the vastness and 
variety of the work for which we pray; if we take 
pains to gain a detailed knowledge of some part of 
the whole mission field; then we shall soon speak 
one to another of that which burns within us. 
Zeal will kindle zeal, where before silence chilled 
it; and devotion will pass into deed. 


Brooke Foss Westcorr 


eS 


FEEL sure that, as long as we look on prayer 

chiefly as the means of maintaining our own 
Christian life, we shall not know fully what it ismeant 
to be. But when we learn to regard it as the 
highest part of the work entrusted to us, the root and 
strength of all other work, we shall see that there 
is nothing that we so need to study and practice 
as the artof praying aright. * * * It isonly 
when the Church gives herself up to this holy work 
of intercession that we can expect the power of 
Christ to manifest itself in her behalf. * * * 
With disciples full of faith in Himself, and bold in 
prayer to ask great things, Christ can conquer the 
world, <‘Lord, teach us to pray.”’ 


Anprew Murray 
10 


F all true believers on earth could only unite, 
not in repeating the words merely, but in utter- 
ing from the heart, and laying it asa daily burden on 
the heart, the first petition of Our Lord’s Prayer, 
‘Thy Kingdom Come,’ the nations would be 
shaken, and the Kingdom of God would begin to 
advance with mighty strides towards universal 
triumph. | 
James M. THosurn 
i 3 | 
‘N January,1793,after hearing the account of Mr. 
Thomas, a medical officer just returned from 
India, Mr. Fuller said, «¢We saw there was a gold 
mine in India, but it seemed almost as deep as the 
centre of the earth. Who will venture to explore 
it? <I will go down,’ said Mr. Carey, ‘but re- 
member that you must hold the ropes.? We 
solemnly engaged to do so;_ nor while we live shall 
we desert him.”’ 


COMMITTEE UNITED PRAYER 
FOR MISSIONS ABROAD 
25 BIBLE HOUSE, ASTOR PLACE 
NEW YORK 


<a 


Copies of this leaflet may be 


obtained in any quantiry at two 


cents each or fifty cents per 
hundred copies postpaid. 





Printed by Louis F. EGGERS 
The Calumet Press, New York 





